It’s been a while since I have come to you with a Tasty Place, but here I am! I have been eyeing Ray’s the Steaks for quite a while now and we finally got to eat there! I had seen them on the Washingtonian’s 100 Best Restaurant list in past years but we have also heard how delicious it was from people we know. We even had a waiter at another top steakhouse in Washington DC, tell us that we had to try Ray’s the Steaks next. Well, we finally did and we were very happy with our service and the amazing food.

Ray’s the Steaks is located in Arlington, Virginia and they are known for their mouth watering fire grilled steaks. They butcher and dry age all of their steaks in house and only serve premium quality. They also have some of the best prices, that we have seen, compared to other Washington DC steakhouses. Alex and I have been to four of the ten steakhouses on the Top 10 Best Steakhouses in DC List and we were excited to make Ray’s the Steaks number five!

We invited my sister Christine and her husband Caleb to come along with us. It was great having a date night out with them! Now, I didn’t photograph their food because I didn’t want to make them wait to eat, but I will tell you what they thought of their dishes!

As is the same with many of my meals, I started by ordering a glass of wine. I chose the Riesling, it’s one of my favorites.

Soon after getting our drinks, our waitress Heather (who was really knowledgeable and helpful) delivered freshly baked Focaccia bread to the table. I think we ate three plates of this bread. Yum!

Our first starter was the Devilishly Good Eggs: steak tartare served deviled egg style. You know a foodie like me was completely intrigued by this and I knew before we even got there, I was going to order them. Yes, I read the menu thoroughly before arriving, it’s what I do. I loved this dish. Something very familiar like a deviled egg but with a major twist. The flavors were great and I really enjoyed the red onions and capers served with them. The red onions added some texture to the plate while the capers added that pop of tangy, lemony flavor they are known for.

We also ordered the Jumbo Sea Scallops wrapped in bacon and served with an apricot mango horseradish chutney for a starter. Let me start by saying these tasted great. The scallops were cooked perfectly and wrapping them in bacon never hurts. The chutney had a very strong horseradish flavor which overpowered the apricot and mango, but I love horseradish, so I didn’t mind. The only bad thing I would say about this dish (and the entire meal) is that the scallops weren’t what I would consider “jumbo” and they only gave us three of them. For the price of the appetizer, I would have loved just one more scallop. I know they are pricey but just one more would have been nice. Like I said, my only bad thought on our entire meal.

Christine ordered the Sherried Crab Bisque, which I didn’t get a photo of. I was able to sneak a taste and I really enjoyed it. I liked the hint of sherry, and there were big chunks of crab in it, which is always great in a crab bisque.

Here come the steaks! I decided on the Filet Mignon Au Poivre. This tender filet came with a seared peppercorn crust and was sitting on top of a port wine peppercorn sauce. Usually, I like my steaks simply prepared but this steak changed my mind! I feel like I have so many good things to say about it. First, it was cooked at a perfect medium, just like I asked for. Second, that peppercorn crust added so much texture and flavor. Every bite I took came with a peppery kick…so good! Third, it was so tender that I cut a piece with my fork. Lastly, that sauce, that sauce, that sauce. There was not one drop of it left when I finished my plate. Every bite I took was dragged through that creamy sauce. I’m wanting more now just thinking about it.

Another thing I loved about Ray’s the Steaks, was that they served family style creamed spinach and mashed potatoes to the table to go along with our steaks. Most steakhouses would of course charge extra for this but at Ray’s it comes with your meal. Awesome!

We ordered the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese as an extra side to share. Now I have had a lot of lobster mac and cheese in my life but this one was the best. Sometimes when you order this dish it comes out way to greasy and way to cheesy (yes, that’s a thing) and you just can’t eat much of it, which is a shame because it’s usually not cheap. This Lobster Macaroni and Cheese was perfect. Big chunks of lobster meat and there was just enough cheese to make the point without everything drowning in cheese sauce. Take a look at that broiled golden brown topping….heaven!

Alex ordered one of the specials they had for the evening. (I should have taken a picture of the specials board so I could remember exactly what it was). I hope I am not getting this wrong, but I think this was the Côte de boeuf. Look at the char on that steak. It was absolutely delicious! It came out a perfect medium rare and was finished with butter. I don’t think steak gets any better than this.

Caleb ordered the Hanger Steak, which he said was the best steak he’s ever eaten! He is still talking about it! Christine had the Filet Mignon with a brandy mushroom cream and she really enjoyed hers as well.

Overall, we had a wonderful evening at Ray’s the Steaks. I love that it is one of the best steakhouses in the DC area but it isn’t very formal or fancy. A lot of the other steakhouses we have been to can feel stuffy. At Ray’s the Steaks the atmosphere is more relaxed and welcoming in my opinion. We liked that!

I highly recommend going to Ray’s the Steaks for your next special occasion. You are sure to have a delicious meal with excellent service!

Ray’s the Steaks

Hi, I'm Emily! Thanks for visiting my blog. I am a lover of all things edible and love being adventurous in the kitchen. I hope you will stay awhile and check out some delicious recipes and tasty places you are sure to love.